Etxebarri & The Best of the Basques Tour Returns! (Oct 15-19th 2026)

Spain

Etxebarri & The Best of the Basques Tour Returns! (Oct 15-19th 2026)

Duration : 5 Days 4 Nights

Price From : £3,250.00

Start Location: San sebastián, Basque Spain

Etxebarri and the Best of the Basques

Oct 15–19, 2026

The Basque Country remains one of the world’s great culinary powerhouses — a place where tradition, innovation, and an obsessive respect for produce converge like nowhere else on earth. This five-day journey brings together the region’s most iconic grills, temples of fine dining, and deeply rooted local institutions in one tightly curated experience.

Etxebarri and the Best of the Basques is designed for guests who want to go beyond a single headline restaurant and truly understand why this corner of northern Spain continues to dominate the global gastronomic conversation.

The Restaurants

At the heart of the tour is Asador Etxebarri, where Bittor Arginzoniz has transformed elemental cooking over fire into one of the most influential culinary expressions of our time. A meal here is not simply lunch — it is a benchmark experience.

We pair this with a visit to Txispa, the intimate, fire-driven restaurant led by former Etxebarri alumni Tetsuro Maeda, offering a different but equally compelling interpretation of smoke, embers, and precision, but envisioned through a Japanese lens. At Txispa the group will also have the opportunity to experience an exclusive yakitori evening as for just two evenings, after the restaurant service, the kitchen of Txispa transforms. When the sign appears on the back door, the space becomes a bar called YAKITXORI.

From the mountains we move to the coast with Elkano, the world reference point for grilled fish, where turbot cooked over charcoal reaches near-mythical status.

Balancing the refinement are two deeply rooted classics: Casa Julián, famed for its legendary txuleta, and Ibai, a beloved local institution where Basque hospitality and flavour take centre stage and indeed new heights under the care of world renowned chef Paulo Airaudo.

We will also enjoy a private tasting of Txakoli, the distinctive white wine that has become synonymous with the Basque coastline. Produced from indigenous grape varieties and traditionally poured from height to enhance its freshness, Txakoli offers a fascinating insight into the region’s winemaking heritage and gastronomic culture.

Following the tasting we continue to Garena, one of the Basque Country’s most exciting dining destinations. Set within a beautifully restored farmhouse overlooking the surrounding countryside, Garena combines contemporary creativity with a deep respect for local ingredients and traditions, offering a fitting celebration of modern Basque cuisine. A surprise for my guests on the last Basque tour this was unanimously a highlight (as I knew it would be) and will now feature on all my tours in this region.

A highlight of the tour will be an exclusive evening at Rekondo, famed for its legendary wine cellar and collection of mature vintages. Few restaurants in the world offer such a remarkable combination of Basque cuisine, hospitality and vinous history. The opportunity to dive into this world famous wine list is quite frankly impossible to resist. We will certainly have the opportunity to visit the cellar here also.

There will be an evening to enjoy San Sebastián at your leisure, widely regarded as one of the world’s great food cities. Wander through the atmospheric streets of the Old Town, discover traditional pintxos bars bustling with locals, and sample everything from freshly grilled seafood and Iberian ham to innovative bite-sized creations. Whether you choose to bar-hop your way through the city or simply enjoy a glass of wine overlooking La Concha Bay, this is an opportunity to experience the more informal side of Basque gastronomy.

What’s Included

• All restaurant menus 🍽️

• Transportation to and from all restaurants from the San Sebastián pick up point (Hotel Maria Christina)🚍

• Hosted throughout by Achefabroad Tours 👨‍🍳

• Txakoli tasting experience 🍾

• Exclusive buyout event at Ibai 🔐

• A visit to the Rekondo wine cellars 🍷

What’s not Included

• Accommodation 🏨

• Flights and travel to San Sebastián ✈️

• Alcoholic beverages and other drinks 🍻

• Travel insurance (strongly recommended) 🛡️

• Personal expenses 💳

Please note:

Drinks are not included and should be settled directly with the restaurants.
Hotel accommodation is not included in the tour price, allowing guests the flexibility to choose their preferred level of comfort in San Sebastián. I am happy to make recommendations and also bookings as a supplemental cost. The pickup and drop off point in San Sebastián is the Hotel Maria Christina. The drivers can only stop here and pickup from here.

The Experience

This tour is about context as much as consumption — understanding why fire matters here, why simplicity is revered, and how the Basques continue to influence chefs across the world. It is carefully paced, logistically seamless, and designed so that guests can focus entirely on the food, the people, and the place.

For those who consider the Basque Country essential culinary ground, this is a rare opportunity to experience its most important tables in one exceptional journey. If you wish to extend your tour to include other restaurants then this can also be arranged.

This tour is priced at 3250 GBP

A non-refundable deposit of 1500 GBP is required to secure a place on this tour. With the remaining balance due before September 1st 2026.

To book please contact me directly via email at achefabroad@icloud.com or DM me on Instagram @achefabroad

We carefully plan each Achefabroad Tour in advance, but on rare occasions, adjustments may be necessary due to circumstances beyond our control. Should a change be required, we will arrange an alternative restaurant of the same cuisine and quality—if not even better. Please note that such changes do not entitle guests to a refund, discount, or cancellation.

Schedule Details

Elkano ⭐️

Elkano

Our tour begins in the charming fishing village of Getaria, home to one of Spain's most iconic restaurants. For over sixty years, Elkano has been setting the standard for seafood cookery, earning worldwide acclaim for its mastery of the grill and its unparalleled relationship with the sea.

Here we'll enjoy a leisurely lunch showcasing the finest seasonal seafood, prepared with the simplicity and precision that has made Elkano a pilgrimage site for chefs and food lovers from around the world. From the restaurant's famous turbot to the daily catch landed just a short walk away in the harbour, this is Basque cuisine at its purest and most authentic.

Before lunch, if the weather seems appropriate, there will be time to explore the picturesque streets of Getaria before we continue inland for our evening meal at Casa Julián.

Free evening in San Sebastián

This evening is yours to enjoy at leisure in San Sebastián, widely regarded as one of the world's great food cities. Wander through the atmospheric streets of the Old Town, discover traditional pintxos bars bustling with locals, and sample everything from freshly grilled seafood and Iberian ham to innovative bite-sized creations. Whether you choose to bar-hop your way through the city or simply enjoy a glass of wine overlooking La Concha Bay, this is an opportunity to experience the more informal side of Basque gastronomy.

Etxebarri

Nestled in the foothills of the Basque mountains, Etxebarri has become one of the most sought-after restaurant reservations in the world. Under the guidance of chef Victor Arguinzoniz, the restaurant has earned an almost mythical reputation for its extraordinary mastery of fire.

What makes Etxebarri so remarkable is its simplicity. Rather than relying on elaborate techniques or complex presentations, ingredients are transformed through an unparalleled understanding of smoke, embers and temperature. From seafood and vegetables to meats and even desserts, every dish is touched by fire in a way that enhances rather than overwhelms the natural character of the ingredient.

For many guests, this will be the restaurant they have travelled across continents to experience. Consistently ranked amongst the very finest restaurants on the planet, Etxebarri offers a style of cooking that is at once deeply rooted in tradition and unlike anything else in modern gastronomy.

Following lunch, half of the guests will have time to relax at our private Basque country house before returning to nearby Txispa for the evening's exclusive yakitori experience while the other half head back to San Sebastián to prepare for dinner at Casa Julian.

Casa Julian

Casa Julián

Few restaurants have achieved the legendary status of Casa Julián. Located in the market town of Tolosa, this unassuming family-run institution has been serving some of Spain's most celebrated charcoal-grilled beef for generations.

The approach here is refreshingly simple. Exceptional ingredients, expertly sourced and cooked over glowing embers with remarkable precision. The result is a dining experience that has attracted chefs, restaurateurs and food lovers from across the globe, all seeking to understand how something seemingly so straightforward can be so extraordinary.

Our dinner will showcase the restaurant's iconic txuleta alongside a selection of traditional Basque dishes, offering a memorable introduction to one of the region's most revered culinary traditions.

Yakitxori at Txispa

Txispa Yakitori

As evening falls, half of the group will return to Txispa for one of the most exclusive dining experiences in Spain. While the restaurant's celebrated lunch service has attracted international acclaim, very few guests have the opportunity to experience its intimate evening yakitori menu.

Drawing inspiration from Japan's great yakitori restaurants while remaining firmly rooted in the Basque Country, the experience centres around meticulously sourced ingredients cooked over charcoal and served directly from the grill. The result is a meal that is both remarkably simple and extraordinarily refined, showcasing the same respect for fire and ingredient-led cooking that has made Txispa one of Europe's most talked-about restaurants.

With only a handful of seats available just two evenings a week, this is a rare opportunity to experience a side of Txispa that even many devoted food lovers never get to see.

Txispa

Few restaurants in recent years have generated as much excitement as Txispa. Located in the small village of Axpe, just a short distance from Etxebarri, chef Tetsuro Maeda has created a restaurant that seamlessly blends Basque ingredients and traditions with influences from his native Japan.

Cooking is centred around fire, smoke and exceptional produce, resulting in a menu that feels both innovative and deeply connected to its surroundings. Each dish showcases a remarkable level of precision and restraint, allowing outstanding ingredients to take centre stage while subtle Japanese influences add complexity and depth.

Despite opening only recently, Txispa has already established itself as one of Europe's most sought-after reservations. For many guests, the opportunity to experience both the main restaurant and its exclusive yakitori counter will be one of the defining highlights of the entire tour.

Following lunch, guests will either return to San Sebastián to prepare for dinner at Casa Julian or relax at our private Basque country house before the evening's yakitori experience.

Garena & Txakoli experience

Garena

Before lunch, we'll be welcomed to Garena's own vineyard for a tasting of Txakoli, the crisp and refreshing wine that has become synonymous with the Basque Country. Produced from indigenous grape varieties and deeply woven into the region's culinary culture, this experience offers a fascinating introduction to one of northern Spain's most distinctive wines.

Following the tasting, we'll take our seats at Garena, where a talented team of young chefs is helping to shape the future of Basque gastronomy. Set within a beautifully restored farmhouse surrounded by rolling countryside, the restaurant combines contemporary creativity with a deep respect for local traditions, ingredients and techniques.

The result is a dining experience that feels both modern and unmistakably Basque, showcasing the confidence and ambition of a new generation of chefs while remaining firmly connected to the region's rich culinary heritage. This restaurant featured as a surprise lunch on my previous Spain tour and was so unanimously enjoyed by the guests that it will now feature on all my Basque tours.

Rekondo

Next we'll visit one of San Sebastián's most celebrated institutions. While Rekondo is renowned for its traditional Basque cuisine and beautiful setting overlooking the city, it is the restaurant's extraordinary wine cellar that has earned it worldwide recognition.

Housing one of the greatest restaurant wine collections on the planet, the cellar contains tens of thousands of bottles, including an astonishing selection of mature Spanish wines that are rarely seen outside private collections. For wine lovers, it is quite simply one of the most remarkable restaurant cellars in existence.

Our evening will begin with a private visit to this legendary cellar before we sit down to enjoy a carefully curated dinner showcasing the restaurant's classic Basque cooking. Combining exceptional food, warm hospitality and one of the world's most celebrated wine collections, Rekondo promises to be one of the most memorable evenings of the tour.

Ibai

Our tour concludes with an exclusive private buyout of Ibai, one of the Basque Country's most exciting new dining destinations. Following its recent rebirth under the direction of acclaimed chef Paulo Airaudo, the restaurant has quickly established itself as one of the region's most sought-after tables.

While remaining respectful of the building's rich history, Airaudo has created a restaurant that feels thoroughly modern, combining exceptional ingredients, meticulous technique and a deep appreciation for Basque culinary traditions. The result is a dining experience that is refined yet approachable, ambitious yet firmly rooted in a sense of place.

By securing a private buyout, our guests will enjoy rare access to one of Spain's most talked-about restaurants, providing a fitting finale to a journey that has explored both the legends and the future stars of Basque gastronomy.